Unit 3 – The Constitution
Review Guide
1. Define the following:
a. Ratify
to pass or approve
b. Bicameral 2 house legislature
c. Pardon
to forgive of a crime
d. Impeach to charge a public official with a crime
e. Tariff
tax on imports
f. Anti-federalists group who was against the ratification of the Constitution
g. Federalists group who was for the ratification of the Constitution
h. Jurisdiction authority of a court to hear and rule on cases
i.
Enumerated "expressed" - numbered or specific powers listed in the Constitution
2. What state first ratified the Constitution? Delaware
3. Why was James Madison considered the “father of the Constitution”?
ideas for the new Constitution were his
4. Who was the President of the Constitutional Convention? George Washington
5. Which House is based on equal representation? Senate
6. Which House of based on proportional representation? House of Representatives
7. What is the crime discussed in the Constitution? treason
8. Which branch of Congress can declare war? Congress - Legislative Branch
9. What are the first 10 amendments known as? Bill of Rights
10. Who is the head of the executive branch? President
11. What is the purpose of the Preamble? introduction - states what the Constitution will do
12. List the 3 parts of the Constitution? 1. Preamble, 2. Articles, 3. Amendments
13. How many Articles are there?
seven
14. How many Amendments are there? 27
15. How many states did it take to ratify the Constitution?
16. What do Article I, II and III cover?
I. Legislative Branch, II. Executive Branch, III. Judicial Branch
9/13
17. Explain the conflict of Representation. Who was the Conflict between? Describe one side of the conflict
Large vs. Small States
Describe the other side. What was the resolution? How did the conflict of representation lead to a conflict
Large: VA plan: wanted Leg. Branch to be proportional (based on population) - more people, more power
over slavery? Small: NJ plan: wanted each state to have an equal # of reps (equal = 5 reps/state) - large states would not
have an advantage bc they had more people
Resolution: CT Plan/ Great Compromise - Bicameral Legislature
Upper House: Senate: Equal Rep (2 per state) - longer terms
Lower House: House of Representatives (proportional rep.) - had the "power of the purse"
Proportional representation led the South to want to count slaves in census, yet they had no rights and
were not seen as people. Led the Framers to argue North vs. South. (slavery and tariffs.)
18. Explain the conflict of slavery the Framers had at the Convention. Who was the conflict between?
North vs. South
Describe one side of the conflict. Describe the other side of the conflict. How was the conflict of slavery
North: economy based on industry; wanted people buy American = higher protective tariffs
resolved?
(taxes on imports)
South: economy based on agriculture (needed slavery); imported slaves from Africa (did
not want tariffs); mainly sold their crops (tobacco, cotton, and indigo) to GB and other
European countries.
Resolution: raised tariffs but did not end slavery nor did it end the Slave trade (not until
1808); allowed the South the 3/5ths Compromise (South could count 3/5ths their slave
population in census count)
19. Why did the Framers set up a federal system of government? to divide the power between different levels of
government - no level would have ALL the power
20. Why were the Anti-Federalists against the Constitution?
no Bill of Rights, too much Federal power ("necessary and proper" and "general welfare" clauses, not enough state control
21. Why are the powers in the Executive and Judicial branches more general than those powers of the
Legislative branch?
the Framers were not sure what powers and how much power they wanted either branch to have.
They Framers also knew they did NOT want the President to have TOO MUCH power, so they gave
him general powers (Ex: Commander in Chief) but require Senate (or Congressional) approval on
most of those powers (Ex: Congress can declare war)